Life-saving raft or buoy.



F. SNOUPFBR.

LIFE SAVING RAFT 0R BUOY APPLICATION FILED MAY a, 1912 1,060,294; Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

v WITNESSES INVENTOR COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH co., WASHINGTON. n. c,

" TED S T FEQ.

LIFE-SAVING RAFT OR BUOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

Application filed May 8, 1912. Serial No. 695,874.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK SNoUrrER, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Saving Rafts or Buoys, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to life saving rafts or buoys and more especially to a device serviceable for ordinary uses which may be converted into a life saving means in case of an emergency.

An object of the invention is to so form mattresses which are employed upon ships both in the sleeping bunks and the chairs thereof of such a nature as to be readily convertible into life saving buoys.

A further object is to provide means whereby any accessible number of said mattresses may be easily and quickly secured together in assembled relations for the purpose of forming a raft or buoy of extended dimensions.

These objects are broadly accomplished by filling the mattresses with an element adapt ed for imparting buoyancy thereto and in providing the connecting links at convenient points upon each mattress frame.

With these general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a single mattress constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view thereof, and, Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of corner portions of four mattresses secured together by the connecting links employed.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the mattresses 10 is formed in a convenient man ner with a rectangular frame work 11 preferably of wood and either incased by a fabric or similar covering or provided with a bottom member 12 and a tufted top member 13 so as to provide for the inclosing of an inner packing 14 to be stuffed therein in the usual manner. The packing 14: may preferably consist of cork in any desired form although any buoyant material may be sub stituted while in the place thereof, one or more pneumatic cushions or inflated members may be employed. Said mattresses 10, it is contemplated, will be of the usual size and form employed upon ship-board in the sleeping bunks thereof and those now in use may be easily altered to possess the advantages of the present structure, by the mere substitution of the proper filling and the addition of link connecting means.

For the purpose of securing together any number of accessible mattresses, a snap hook 15 and a ring 16 are herein shown and provided at each of the corners 17 of the structures, said rings and snap hooks being secured to the frame members 11 by convenient hold-fast devices, such as the staples 18 while an intermediate ring 19 may be added if desired.

In case of an emergency, it is contemplated that a large number of mattresses may be easily thrown over-board from the ship and that by securing a number of the floating mattresses together in the manner shown in Fig. 3, the same will forni a convenient life raft capable of floating many passengers while the assembled raft consisting as it does of individual units slightly spaced apart will in its entirety possess great flexibility for the accommodation of the assembled structure to the movement and action of the waves. The link connectors may also be so assembled if desired as to place the adjacent mattresses substantially in contact with each other. Any number of hand hold straps 20 may be provided at convenientpoints upon the mattresses for the assistance of persons to be accommodated thereon.

While the forms of the invention herein shown and described are what are believed to be preferable embodiments thereof, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made in the matter of form, size and details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claim.

Having thus fully described my invention and in what manner the same is designed for use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is A life saving member comprising a wooden rectangular frame, a bottom member and a tufted top member secured to the opposite sides of said frame a buoyant filler I and a single snap hook upon each side of positioned therein, hand hold devices the frame and positioned adjacent its ends. 10

mounted at the edges upon said tufted top In testimony whereof I affix my signature member, staples secured through each side in presence of tWo Witnesses.

of the frame and at each corner thereof, FRANK SNOUFFE-R. links and snap hook couplings alternately Witnesses: mounted through said staples around the R. E. WALKER,

frame and so arranged With a single link lVL PAUL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

